Rivers, rapids and waterfalls are another natural feature of the nation's natural landscape that can be tapped as a source for hydro-electricity plants.

Currently, about 70% of the country's electricity is generated from these renewable sources.

The government plans to use wind power to make up the remaining 20% in order to meet the target of 90% by 2025.

One of the biggest hurdles that has to be overcome is emissions from transport. Most of the nation's cars are bought second-hand and imported from Japan.

"New Zealand has the oldest, dirtiest and least efficient car fleet in the whole of the developed world," said Jeannette Fitzsimons, co-leader of the Green Party, which is a member of the coalition government.

Environment Minister Trevor Mallard said achieving the goal of halving emissions from transport by 2040 would be a "major exercise".

"That will mean that the fleet will be modernised. We have to make a lot of progress, for example, towards electric cars."

K J Wells, leader of the electric vehicle programme of state-owned Meridian Energy, said the sector was not as clean and green as they would like.

"If we look at all the countries around the world, New Zealand is the second highest in the world for car ownership," he said.

"We've got almost one car for every man, woman and child - we think there is room for improvement."

Meridian Energy is focusing its efforts on electric cars from Japan.

"One of the things that makes New Zealand the best place in the world for electric vehicles is the fact that we have an abundance of renewable energy," he explained.

However, Meridian Energy has yet to import any electric cars, while the second-hand fossil fuel models continue to arrive from Japan.

Smell of success

Another big challenge facing New Zealand is curbing emissions from its booming agriculture industry, which is the nation's main pollution source.

"The big challenge for us is the 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions that comes from our agricultural sectors because that is the backbone of our economy," observes Helen Clark.

The truth is that we are only just starting to nail the science of how to measure the amount of methane and nitrous oxide from agricultural production

Dr Nick Smith,Politician

As a result, ministers are investing money into research on emissions from cows.

Scientists at Lincoln University are looking at ways to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, a gas that has a global warming potential 310 times greater than carbon dioxide.

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